1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle roof with a series of plates by which a roof opening in a roof panel can be selectively closed or at least partially opened, the plates, in the closed position, bordering one another to form a continuous panel of plates, in which each plate is slidably guided along a path of movement in a guide device that is connected with the fixed roof surface, on each lateral side of the roof opening, on a pair of guide elements which are spaced one forward of the other in a sliding direction, so that, when the plates are displaced along the guide device in an opening direction, the plates of the continuous panel of plates perform a translational movement during which the panel of plates is separated into individual plates in a plate-by-plate manner commencing with a rearmost plate of the plate system, the panel of plates being reestablished in a plate-by-plate manner commencing with a forwardmost plate when the plates are displaced along the guide device in a closing direction. In particular to such a roof wherein the guide device has separate, first and second guideways, the forward one of said guide elements of all of the plates interacting with the first guideway of the guide device and the rear one of said guide elements of all of the plates interacting with the second guideway of the guide device.
2. Description of Related Art
In a known vehicle roof of this type (U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,961), each plate is pivoted, at one of their guide points, on a sliding element that is displaceable along longitudinal guide devices, around a beating pin. At the other guide point, each plate interacts with a guide track, which forces the pivoting movement necessary for plate-by-plate release and restoration of the panel of plates, depending on the sliding movement of the plates. To displace the plates, a single drive device is provided for all of the plates. The sliding element of each plate can be coupled to, or uncoupled from, the drive device by a locking block coupling.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,122 another vehicle roof of the initially-mentioned type is disclosed. In this case, a longitudinal guideway is provided running at least approximately parallel to a respective part of the stationary roof panel bordering each lateral side of the roof opening, and each plate is guided, in the area of its front end, by the front guide elements in this longitudinal guideway below the lateral side of the roof opening. Additionally, a roof rail (resembling the side rail of a roof luggage rack) is provided extending above the stationary roof panel at each lateral side of the roof opening, each roof rail having a guide channel for guiding the plates by the rear guide elements in the area of their rear ends, when the plates are displaced rearwardly.